scoonts.theminotaur-第5部分

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oice　and　watched　the　hands；　those　practiced；　expressive　hands。
　Tarkington…he　was　the　past　turned　into　a　living；　breathing　person。　He　was　every　youngster　Jake　had　shared　a　ready　room　with　for　the　past　twenty　years；　all　those　guys　now　middle…aged。。。　or　dead。
　Toad　was　still　talking　when　Jake　turned　back　to　the　pile　of　balsa　on　the　table。　When　he　eventually　paused　for　air；　Jake　said　mildly。
　〃So　what　we　you　up　to　these　days？〃　as　he　used　the　X…acto　knife　to　trim　a　protruding　sliver　from　a　balsa　rib　piece。
　〃My　squadron　tour　was　up；〃　Toad　said　slowly。　〃And　when　you　get　a　Silver　Star　you　can　pretty　well　call　your　next　set　of　orders。　So　I　talked　it　over　with　the　detailer。〃　He　looked　around　the　room；　then　swiveled　back　to　Jake。　〃And　I　told　him　I　wanted　to　go　where　you　were　going。〃
　Jake　laid　the　knife　down　and　scooted　his　chair　back。　〃I'm　still　on　convalescent　leave。〃
　〃Yessir。　I　heard。　And　I　hear　you're　going　to　the　Pentagon　as　a　division　director　or　something。　So　I'm　reporting　there　this　ing　Monday。　I'll　be　working　for　you。〃
　Jake　smiled　again。　〃I　seem　to　recall　you　had　had　enough　of　this　warrior　shit。〃
　〃Yeah。　Well；　what　the　hell！　I　decided　to　stay　around　for　another　set　of　orders。　I　can　always　pull　the　plug。　And　I've　got　nothing　better　to　do　right　now　anyway。〃
　Jake　snorted　and　nibbed　his　fingertips　together。　The　glue　had　coated　his　fingertips　and　wouldn't　e　off。　〃I　don't　either。　So　we'll　go　shuffle　paper　for　a　while；　eh？〃
　〃Yessir；〃　Toad　said；　and　stood。　〃Maybe　we　won't　get　underway；　but　we'll　still　be　in　the　navy。　That's　something；　isn't　it？〃　He　stuck　out　his　hand　again；　like　a　cowboy　drawing　a　pistol。　〃I'll　be　seeing　you　in　the　office；　when　you　get　there；〃　he　said　as　Jake　pumped　the　outstretched　hand。　〃Say　hello　to　Mrs。　Grafton　for　me。〃
　Jake　acpanied　Toad　to　the　door；　then　out　onto　the　porch。　There　was　a　young　woman　in　the　car；　and　she　looked　at　him　curiously。　He　nodded　at　her；　then　put　a　hand　on　Toad's　shoulder　and　squared　around　to　face　him。　〃Take　care　of　yourself；　y'hear？〃
　〃Sure；　CAG。　Sure。〃
　〃Thanks　for　ing　by。〃
　As　Toad　drove　away　Jake　waved；　then　went　back　into　the　house。　The　place　was　depressing。　It　was　as　if　Tarkington　brought　all　the　life　and　energy　with　him；　then　took　it　away　when　he　left。　But　he　was　of　Jake's　past。　Everything　was　past。　The　flying；　the　ready　rooms；　the　sun　on　the　sea　as　you　manned　up　to　fly；　all　of　it　was　over；　gone；　finished。
　It　was　after　four　o'clock。　He　had　forgotten　to　eat　lunch。　Oh　well；　Callie　wasn't　going　to　get　here　until　nine　o'clock　or　so。　The　Chesapeake　Bay　Bridge　shouldn't　be　crowded　on　Friday　evenings　this　time　of　year。　He　could　get　some　more　of　this　plane　assembled；　then　fix　a　sandwich　or　something。　Maybe　run　over　to　Burger　King。
　He　scratched　at　the　glue　caked　on　his　fingertips。　The　stuff　came　off　in　flakes　if　you　peeled　it　right。　This　plane…it　was　going　to　be　a　nice　one。　It　was　going　to　be　good　to　fly　it。　When　flying　was　all　you　knew　and　all　you　had　been；　you　needed　a　plane　around。
　Oh；　shit！　As　he　looked　at　the　pieces　he　felt　like　a　fool。　A　fucking　toy　plane！　He　threw　himself　on　the　couch　and　lay　there　staring　at　the　ceiling。
　Toad　Tarkington　was　silent　as　he　drove　from　stoplight　to　stoplight　on　the　main　highway　through　Rehoboth　Beach。　The　woman　beside　him　finally　asked；　〃So　how　is　he？〃
　〃He's　changed；〃　Toad　said。　〃The　official　report　said　he　was　in　a　a　for　two　weeks。　It　was　a　week　before　that　Greek　fishing　boat　even　made　port。　It's　a　miracle　he　didn't　die　on　the　boat。　He　said　the　fishermen　expected　him　to　and　kept　fishing。〃
　〃I　would　have　liked　to　meet　him。〃
　〃Well；　I　was　going　to　mention　you　were　in　the　car；　but　he　was　bogy　working　on　a　model　airplane　and　he　was。。。　Anyway；　you　can　always　meet　him　later。〃
　The　woman　reached　for　the　knob　to　turn　the　stereo　on；　then　thought　better　of　it。　〃This　new　assignment…asking　for　it　just　because　you　like　him。。。〃
　〃It's　not　that　I　like　him；〃　Toad　said。　〃I　respect　him。　He's。。。　different。　There　aren't　many　men　like　him　left　in　this　day　and　age。　If　Congress　hadn't　jumped　into　that　incident　with　both　feet　and　voted　him　the　Medal　of　Honor；　he　would　probably　have　been　forced　to　retire。　Maybe　even　a　court…martial。〃　Toad　smacked　the　steering　wheel　with　his　hand。　〃He's　a　national　hero　and　he　doesn't　give　a　damn。　I've　never　met　anyone　like　him　before。〃　He　thought　about　it。　〃Maybe　there　aren't　any　more　like　him。〃
　The　woman　reached　for　the　knob　again　and　turned　the　stereo　on。
　She　had　known　Toad　Tarkington　for　three　weeks　and　she　was　still　trying　to　figure　him　out。　He　was　the　first　military　man　she　had　dated　and　he　was　modestly　famous　after　the　attack　last　fall　on　United　States。　Her　friends　thought　it　was　so　exciting。　Still；　he　was　a　bit　weird。　（A　well；　he　made　a　decent　salary　and　bathed　and　shaved　and　looked　marvelous　at　parties。　And　he　was　a　fine　lover。　A　liBri　could　do　a　lot　worse。　〃Where　do　you　want　to　eat　tonight？〃　she　asked。
　It　was　dark　and　spattering　rain　when　Jake　heard　Callie's　car　pull　in。　He　had　pleted　assembly　of　the　vertical　and　horizontal　stabilizers；　the　rudder；　and　the　wings；　and　had　placed　them　on　top　of　the　bookcase　and　credenza　to　cure　and　was　cleaning　up　the　mess　on　the　kitchen　table。　He　raked　the　rest　of　it　into　the　box　the　airplane　had　e　in　and　slid　the　box　up　on　top　of　the　kitchen　cabinets；　then　went　outside　to　meet　her。　She　was　opening　the　trunk　of　her　car。
　〃Hey；　good…looking。　Wele　home。〃　He　pecked　her　cheek　and　lifted　her　overnight　bag　out　of　the　trunk。
　〃Hello。〃　She　followed　him　into　the　house；　hugging　herself　against　the　evening　chill。　He　closed　the　door　behind　her　and　climbed　the　stairs　toward　the　bedrooms。　〃What's　this？〃　Callie　called。
　〃I'm　building　an　airplane；〃　he　boomed　as　he　dropped　the　bag　on　the　bed。　When　he　reached　the　foot　of　the　stairs　she　was　examining　the　wing　structure　without　touching　it。　〃It's　dry　enough　to　pick　up。　How　about　coffee？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Callie　walked　slowly　around　the　living/dining　area；　her　purse　still　over　her　shoulder；　looking。　She　opened　the　door　to　the　screened…in　porch　and　was　shivering　in　the　wind；　looking　at　the　wicker　furniture；　when　he　handed　her　the　coffee　cup。　〃This　stuff　needs　to　be　painted　again。〃　She　slid　the　door　closed　and　leaned　back　against　it　as　she　sipped　the　hot　liquid。
　〃What　kind　of　week　did　you　have？〃
　〃So…so。〃　She　was　halfway　through　her　first　semester　as　a　language　instructor　at　Georgetown　University。　〃They　asked　me　to　teach　this　summer。〃
　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃That　I'd　think　about　it。〃　She　had　been　planning　on　spending　the　summer　here　at　the　beach。　Kicking　her　pumps　off；　she　sat　on　the　sofa　with　her　legs　under　her。　〃It　all　depends。〃
　Jake　poured　himself　coffee　and　sat　down　at　the　kitchen　table　where　he　could　face　her。
　〃I　went　to　see　Dr。　Arnold　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　Jake　had　refused　to　go　back　to　the　psychologist。
　〃He　says　if　you　don't　get　your　act　together　I　should　leave　you。〃
　〃Just　what　does　the　soul　slicer　think　my　act　is？〃
　〃Oh；　cut　the　crap；　Jake。〃　She　averted　her　face。　She　finished　her　coffee　in　silence；　then　rinsed　the　cup　in　the　sink。　Retrieving　her　shoes；　she　went　upstairs。
　The　sound　of　water　running　in　the　shower　was　audible　all　over　the　downstairs。　Jake　spread　the　airplane　diagram　on　the　table　and　opened　the　instruction　manual。　Finally　he　threw　the　manual　down　in　disgust。
　He　needed　a　drink。　The　doctors　had　told　him　not　to；　but　fuck　them。　He　rummaged　under　the　sink　and　found　that　old　bottle　of　bourbon　with　several　inches　of　liquid　remaining。　He　poured　some　in　a　glass　and　added　ice。
　The　problem　was　that　he　didn't　want　to　do　anything。　He　didn't　want　to　retire　and　sit　here　and　vegetate　or　find　a　civilian　job。　He　didn't　want　to　go　to　the　Pentagon　and　immerse　himself　in　the　bureaucracy。　The　Pentagon　job　had　been　the　only　one　offered　to　him　when　he　was　finally　ready　to　be　discharged　from　Bethesda　Naval　Hospital。　The　politicians　had　made　him　a　hero　and　checkmated　the　naval　establishment　but　the　powers　that　be　had　still　been　smarting　from　the　way　the　official　investigation　had　been　derailed。　Luckily　he　had　been　damn　near　atose　in　the　hospital　and　everyone　in　uniform　knew　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　political　maneuvering。　So　he　was　still　in　the　navy。　But　his　shot　at　flag　rank　had　vapo